Improvement in rotary knitting-machines



G. W. CUMMINGS.

ROTARY KNITTIN'G--MACHINE l No.177,695. Patented May123, 1876.

NPETERS, FHOTO-LJTHQGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. .A

N PATENT 'Errea GEORGE W; IGMMINGS, ofEBENNIN-Gron, vERMonfr.

IMlRovtly/IENT'INv RoTARv,KN'ITTING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,695: dated May 2 ,i 1876; application filed l A December 15, 1675.

To all whom t may concer-n j Be it known that l, GEORGE W. CUMMINGS, of Bennington, in the county Vof Bennington and State of Vermont, have invented an Improvement in Rotary Knitting'- Machines, whereby the presser-wheel may be thrown ont of action, whenever theffeed-thread breaks or runs out, Without stopping the machine, of which the following is a specication:

This invention is adapted to be. applied to the ordinary cylinder knitting-machines, and has for itsobjects, first, the prevention'of the detachment of the knit fabric from the nee-y dles by the landing-wheel of the class of machines to which it is applicable; and, secondly, the accomplishment of the aforesaid resulty Without stopping the machine, or interfering with the progress of the knitting, when applied to machines having more than one feed.

The elements of the invention consist in attachin g the presser-wheel to a short stud, which has its lower extremity pivoted in the upper portionof a stationary4 socket, radially adjustable, in connection with a drop-wire and such other mechanical attachments as will secure the recession of the presser-wheel from the spring-barbs of the needles whenever the `continuity of the thread or yarn, which is essential to support the drop-wire, and upon which support in proper position the performance of the functions of the presser-wheel depends, shall be broken or cease altogether.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, in which- Figurelshows a plan view of my invention; Fig. 2, a view in elevation, as seen from the right of Fig. l, looking toward the left, and Fig. 3 a front elevation of Fig. 1. v

In place of the ordinary stand, having a, socket arranged radially with reference to the axis of the needle-cylinder, for receiving the shank or stem of thearbor of thepresser- Wheel and the helical spring which keeps the presser-wheel to its work, I have substituted a shorter stand, S, provided at its upper end with a socket, P. From the upper edge of this socket P projects radially the arm O, which is provided with the lateral arm F, to the extremity of which is attached the dropwire H. Upon the upper surface of the piece 'O are erected Vtwo studs, M and N. To the` stud M the supporting-wire G is pivoted, and to the stud N one end ofthe lever B is pivoted. This lever' R, in connection with the bail-lever D-tlle forked end of which is pivoted to thecollar B of the arbor C-forms a toggle or compound lever, the action of which is regulated by the drop-Wire and supporting- Wire aforesaid. The part B forms a shoulder, on which rests` the lower end of the hub of the presser-wheel A, and also acollar to which the bail-lever D can be attached. C is the arbor upon which the presser revolves, and oscillates upon the pin Q, by means of which it is attached to the socket P. The outer extremity ofthe supporting-wire G has a bent projection, J, and the drop-wire H is provided, at its pivot end, with a hook, K, which hook operates, in conjunction with the aforesaid projection J, as a lock to hold in position the several parts when the knitting is progressing properly.

The projections shown in full lines ar'e of the several part-s when properly at work.` The broken or dotted lines indicate the positions assumed by the several co-operative parts when thrown out of operation byinterruption in the continuity of the feed-thread.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

Elevate the supporting-wire G from the posig tion indicated at G' to its normal position at G.' This brings the upper edge thereof, near `itspivotal point, to bear onv the under side'of v the lever B., thus bringing this lever and its co-ordinate D into such a position that the periphery of the wheel A is brought to bear on thev barbs of the needles, pressing the points into the slots thereof, as seen at T, Fig. 2, so as to allow the stitches which have previously beenshoved down onto the shanks of Y the needles by the press-plate, prior to the introduction ol'anew feed-thread, to recede by theretractile force of the knit fabric above, upward, over, and outside of the points of the needles, preparatory to being thrown off entirely by the cast-off wheel. The drop-wire H being then brought into position, as seen in Figs. l and 3, the projection J of wire Gr is secured and locked by hook K of the drop-wire H. The drop-wire is held in this position by passing the thread I through the outer aperture of the thread-guide ofthe feed-stand, under the outer extremity of the drop-wire I, as seenin` Figs. 2 and 3, to the loop-Wheel, the ordinary tension of the yarn, in process of feeding in, being ordinarily sufficient to maintain the drop -wire in position. When the thread.` breaks or runs out the drop-Wire falls, thus releasing the projection J of the-supporting- Wire G, which also falls, thereby removing all support from beneath the levers D R, which consequently drop, carrying with them the Wheel A from its Working position to that indicated by the dotted line c c, Fig. 2, and all pressure being removed from the barbs of the needles-at this point, they spring out to the dotted'posii tion shown at T, Fig. 2, and when the landing-wheel comes to aot on the depressed stitch it'throws it up under the-barb',|instead of out#` side and over it, as when inprocess-ot'fkhit# ting, thus leaving the fabric properly attached to the needles, ready toproceed to andreceive-f' g the next feed.

I therefore claim-as new and desire to secure-.byLetters Patent- 1. The standard S, having socket P, in combination with the wheel A and `arbor C, pivoted "at Q, and mechanism, substantially as described,vwhereby, upon the breaking or running .out of'fthezyarn, the wheel A is caused to recede from the needles, as and for the purposesset forth.

' 2; The combination of the'presser-Wheel A, pivoted arbor C, socket P, toggle R D, Supporting-Wire G, and drop-wire H, as and for the purposesdesri'bedr In'testimony whereof I have hereto set my handat Bennington, Vermont, this 15th day of November, 1875. Y

GEORGE-v "Wi' CUMMINGS.`

Witnesses; I

0.51 WATSON-Dummy; Je' .W'. WILLIAMsat 

